Schools are being urged to institute COVID-19 safeguards when the 2024/25 academic year commences on September 2. The call comes from Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, amidst recent surveillance data indicating high transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among the population. “We are asking our principals and our school nurses to be particularly vigilant. While there’s not a...

Scores of St. Ann residents are benefiting from free dental services through the Great Shape Inc.’s 1000 Smiles initiative, at the Ocho Rios High School. The project has been providing dental services in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Turks & Caicos, and The Bahamas for more than 30 years. This year, the programme has extended its stay in St. Ann to...

Accidental poisoning of children remains a concerning issue for the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), based on statistics highlighting the vulnerability of youngsters. Speaking during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s Regional Office in Montego Bay, St. James, WRHA representatives said information gleaned consistently indicates that agents, such as bleach, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, account for...

The St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St. Ann now has a multimillion-dollar oxygen plant. The facility, which was financed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of Canada at a cost of more than $125 million, uses pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology, which will enable the production of high-purity oxygen by separating it from nitrogen in...

Jamaica has heightened its surveillance to detect the Mpox virus, to ensure that if cases are identified, they are controlled, says Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton. Addressing a virtual press conference, today (August 22), the Minister informed that as at August 22, there are no cases of the virus reported, but due to public health...

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) has been closely monitoring accidental poisoning among children, particularly those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, Dr. Ludrick Morris, emphasised that safety should be a priority for all families, regardless of their financial situation. He was addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) 'Think Tank',...

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) is warning the public against the dangerous practice of storing household chemicals in food containers. This advisory comes in light of a 14 per cent increase in accidental poisoning cases in the region compared to last year’s statistics – 71 cases in 2023 and 81 cases in 2024. Some 52 per cent of the...

As the start of the 2024/25 academic year approaches, parents are being encouraged to safeguard their children against hand, foot and mouth disease. This urging comes from Health Promotion and Education Officer for Westmoreland, Gerald Miller, who says Ministry of Health and Wellness data indicate that increased cases tend to emerge between March and June and September and December. He...

Students and other residents of Old Harbour in St. Catherine received school supplies, medical checks and care packages during an education and health fair staged by the Old Harbour and Friends Association (OHFA). Six students were presented with grants totalling $36,000, another six were gifted with laptop computers, while more than 350 care packages were distributed during the event held...